Ocean Grove ended its 2023 season with a 24-point win against Queenscliff, taking its win-loss ratio to 5-13.
It was the only time the Grubbers defeated a side above them on the ladder and the club now goes into the offseason with a lot of work to do to be a finals contender in 2024.
The 13.11(89) to 9.11(65) victory on Saturday August 12 at Queenscliff was a reward for the hard work the side has put in. Ruckman Ed Dayman was superb again while Cameron Fowler, Grady Slocombe, Tom Chalkley, Max Sutton and captain Joe McDonald rounded out the best players.
“We had a number of games that we walked away really proud from, but to play out the season to the last few minutes and walk away with a win against a side in some pretty good form themselves was something we can surely build on as we shift our focus quickly to 2024,” first-year coach Dave Farrell said.
“Our pressure on and around the ball was really good again – they’re so quick, if you give them room to be and we saw that a number of times on the weekend when they went forward.
“Our defenders stood up as they have all year and made it really difficult for them to get any space or easy shots forward.”
Ocean Grove’s form during the past two months improved dramatically from the first half of the season.
A string of narrow losses against good sides had the team playing confidently right to the end.
“In one word I would sum the season up as ‘busy’,” Farrell said.
“With a new coaching group and playing group coming together and wanting to make some big changes, we asked a lot of everyone. It takes time to develop strong relationships and build a new game style while still maintaining a high level of engagement around the club beyond just our senior men’s program.
“Our players have balanced things super well and expect they will continue to as our netballers and junior footballers go deep into finals.”
Farrell said he expected the playing group to stay together and get better during the offseason.
“We are really aware there is still plenty of ground to make up on the competition and fully expect them to be on the improve again so we need to make sure everything we do is well considered and we are as efficient as we can be,” he said.
“The list couldn’t be in better shape in regards to gaining early commitment from this year’s group backed by some really talented Under 18s graduating that we’re looking forward to seeing get to work in November.
“We’ll implore our guys to maintain their conditioning over the break so we can build from the level they’re at now and the same with our game method we have a great base to build on there too.”
Despite the optimism, Farrell said there were areas that his side needed to improve upon.
“Definitely our efficiency, both in maintaining the ball to create chains of possession then how we go forward to best give ourselves a chance of converting that into more goals,” he said.
“It took some time to get a handle on the competition and even our own list. Where the opportunities lay and to get a sense of where we were at and how good we could be. The coaching and playing group are well aligned and won’t waste any time in 2024.”
MEANWHILE onballer Max Sutton claimed his first Damian Clark Medal as the senior side’s best and fairest winner in a count held after the final game.
The former Under 19s premiership captain won from ruckman Ed Dayman and captain Joe McDonald.
